Wayne Edwin Hagel of Lopez Island died Oct. 18, 2009 at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bellingham. He was 76.

Wayne was born on Oct. 18, 1933 in Spokane, the son of Ralph and Grace (Faulkes) Hagel. He grew up and lived for most of his life in Spokane. In 1972, he started his own business, Specialty Machining & Manufacturing.

Wayne and his wife Nadine loved the San Juan Islands and in 1981 they purchased property on Lopez Island. They spent as much time as possible on the island and in the late 1980s built a home on Fisherman’s Bay. After his retirement in 2000, they moved permanently to their home on Lopez.

Wayne has always had a creative side which allowed him great success in his business. Upon moving to Lopez, he turned to handcrafting beautiful knives and selling them at the Lopez Farmers Market and also at Dockside Treasures in Friday Harbor. For the last three years, his granddaughter, Rachel, apprenticed with him learning this skill.

Wayne’s son, Rod, frequently visited from Spokane and they enjoyed cutting wood and doing projects together around the house on Lopez. Rod’s twin sister, Robin, lives in Friday Harbor with her family.

Wayne was a family man who loved his wife devotedly and was a proud supporter of his children and grandchildren and their accomplishments. He was a very generous man with both his time and his money.

Wayne was a church-going man and attended Christ the King Church on Lopez. He also served his country for eight years in the Navy Reserves. His absence will be felt throughout the Lopez community.

Wayne is survived by his wife, M. Nadine, at the family home in Lopez; twin son and daughter and their spouses, Rodney and Sheri Hagel of Spokane, and Robin and Curt Van Hyning of Friday Harbor; five grandchildren, Rachel Patterson of Friday Harbor, and Ryan, Forest, Ruth and Rosie Hagel of Spokane; and two sisters, Dorothy Stark of Tri Cities, Wash., and Jean Comstock of Spokane.

Memorials in remembrance of Wayne can be made to Christ the King Church on Lopez or Union Gospel Mission in Spokane.

A family graveside service was held on Oct. 21 at Lopez Union Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Nov. 1 at Lake City Assembly of God church in Medical Lake. A memorial potluck will be held from noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 21 at Woodman Hall on Lopez Island.

Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel & Crematory, Inc., Anacortes and the San Juan Islands. To share memories of Wayne, please sign the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com.

— Family of Wayne Edwin Hagel